Mandatory registration for lead?
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is proposing to include the use of lead in Annex XIV of the REACH Regulation. This could have a significant impact on the prices of organ pipes and brass instruments.
Use would therefore only be possible with special authorization. Since 2021, the use of lead has had to be notified to the ECHA, but has not yet undergone the complex registration process. The decision on the inclusion of lead in the Annex to the REACH Regulation is expected to be made in 2023.
According to the German Music Council, lead is required for the production of organ pipes, while lead is generally used for alloys in brass instruments together with nickel and chromium. According to the Council, costly developments of new alternatives would lead to drastic increases in the selling prices of instruments. It is therefore calling for an exemption for the use of lead in instrument making
The REACH Regulation ("Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals") is a European Union regulation that was enacted to improve the protection of human health and the environment from the risks that can arise from chemicals and at the same time to increase the competitiveness of the EU chemical industry. It also proposes alternative methods for the risk assessment of substances in order to reduce the number of animal tests.
